Could UK get back in the Top 25? Not likely

After road wins at No. 16 Ole Miss and at Texas A&M this past week, could Kentucky break back into the AP Top 25, which will be announced this afternoon?

That seems unlikely. For one thing, UK did not receive a single vote in the AP or the USA Today Coaches’ poll last week. For another, for a Kentucky to climb back in the rankings, a team (or teams) has to fall out of the rankings.

Here are the most likely candidates to take a poll plunge.

No. 16 Ole Miss: The Rebels went 0-2 for the week, losing to visiting Kentucky 87-74 on Tuesday, then dropping a 78-64 road decision at No. 4 Florida on Saturday. It isn’t like Andy Kennedy’s club lost to bad teams, but the defeats may cement the notion that Ole Miss is more pretender than contender.

No. 17 Missouri: The Tigers bounced back with a 91-77 win over Auburn on Saturday, but a 73-70 loss at LSU earlier in the week could weight on voters’ minds.

No. 19 North Carolina State: Rough week for the Wolfpack with a 58-55 loss at Virginia, then a home 79-78 loss to No. 14 Miami. Mark Gottfried’s team is shaping up as a bit of a disappointment right now, though the absence of Lorenzo Brown had to hurt against the Hurricanes.

No. 22 San Diego State: The Aztecs lost at Air Force 70-67 on Saturday. On the other hand, it was Air Force’s fifth straight win and the Falcons are now 14-6 overall and 5-2 in the Mountain West.

No. 25 Marquette: The Golden Eagles wilted at Louisville’s white-out on Sunday, losing 70-51 to the host Cardinals. That will probably be enough to get Buzz Williams’ team banished from the rankings.